Just to let everybody know that this len is the best of all my len! Of course I can't shoot fast because of the focusing but the result is very awesome!
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DaokNov 2 '10 at 18:37

I was just playing around with freelensing using my Nikon D5000 and Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D. I don't think you'll regret getting this. I love the retro look of the photos I've taken with this lens on this camera.
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Frank HaleFeb 23 '11 at 3:27

1

I used the term "retro" in the context of freelensing. The images I've shot using freelensing techniques have an almost retro photo quality. I am not saying the lens is retro. eg. They don't look like images taken with the lens attached to the camera.
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Frank HaleMar 13 '12 at 0:40

+1. Thanks for explaining freelensing, I wasn't aware of the term.
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James YoungmanMar 14 '12 at 0:09

4 Answers
4

VR:
I don't think VR matters at all for portraits, where you can control the lighting to make sure you have a suitably fast shutter speed (1/125 or 1/250) to avoid blur due to camera shake.

AF: This depends on how good you are at focusing manually. For portraits with shallow depth of field (wide aperture), it's critical to make sure that one or both of the eyes is in perfect focus. If you can do this manually, then by all means, go for the manual focus lens.

Before buying, you can try manually focusing on one of the lenses you already have, and then check your focus by looking at the full-size image on your computer. I often find that I've missed by a bit when focusing manually, but some people are quite good.

Manual Focusing with the 50mm f/1.8 is extremely hard and the depth of field is very shallow when the lens is wide open. The viewfinder on the D5000 is small and the live view doesn't provide enough detail to focus. Often, you will think your focus is correct, but will find that it's slightly out of focus when you get back to the computer.

So, I would not recommend. You could look at the Nikon f/1.4 AF-S version (not the AF), which has a motor, or maybe the Sigma 50mm f/1.4, but they are all more expensive.

Update : There is now a Nikon f/1.8 AF-S which will autofocus. It is a must buy.

Manual focus sounds plausible for portraits, especially if you're on a tripod. If you shoot with a shallow depth of field, obviously focus becomes much more important.

If you shoot tethered, you can check your focus.

If you are motivated you can work on your manual focus technique.

I think your only regret would be in not researching this question until you know very clearly what the tradeoffs are. If you know what the limitations are, and you're willing to live with it, no regrets.

I have the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D and I've used it on my D5000 on a number of occasions. The focusing is a bit tricky and I've taken several dozen out of focus shots but then on the other hand I've taken several photos that I really liked. I basically treat the manual focus as a challenge rather than a limitation.